Pick of the Week

I must make an apology for last week's pick, it appears that I'm Not Scared was pushed back a week at the last minute and should be available today. That would explain why I couldn't find it last week. Anyway, I encourage you all to check it out. You can read what I wrote last week here.

I am choosing another pick to represent this week. That would be the long delayed Ed Wood, from director Tim Burton. Arguably his finest film, it has had a long history leading to it's DVD release. It was originally slated for release last year, but at the last minute it was delayed. Then it was due to come out again this past February. This time, the recall occurred after the disks had been shipped to retail locations and many copies made it to the shelves. I was lucky enough to have tracked down a copy then. The only difference between that release and this one is the removal of a short featurette which is only relevant to the film in that it involves cross dressing, completely unnecessary and will not be missed. Outside of that it is the same disk. A highly recommended one at that, as the film is fantastic, even earning Martin Landau a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Bela Lugosi.

The film is about the life and times of Edward D. Wood Jr. and his love of cinema. He has often been called the worst director ever, but I believe this is a misnomer, no one who is that in love with the cinema can be bad, he was just convinced that everything was great. His films are not high art, but his enthusiasm is undeniable. But to the point of this movie, we get a fantastic performance from Johnny Depp as Ed. How accurate this is to his life, I am not sure, but we see him struggle to get a film made, as well as help give meaning to Bela Lugosi's later years. Excellent cast, great story, and Tim Burton all mix to create a wonderful movie. One definitely worth seeking out.

There are a lot of releases worth checking out this week:

• Van Helsing. Ultimately rather disappointing, but still a fun romp in the vein of The Mummy. Available in 2 varieties, 1 disk and 3 disk which features the original Dracula, Frankenstein, and Wolf Man films.
• Hellboy: Director's Cut. A fun film in it's original form, hopefully made better in this edition. Available in 2 varieties, one comes with a bust of Hellboy, the other doesn't.
• David Bowie: A Reality Tour. This looks like a great concert disk.
• Arrested Development: Season 1. The Emmy winner for best comedy, now's your chance to see it for the first time.
• Greg the Bunny: The Complete Series. A fun but shortlived series about a kids show, but in a world where the puppets are alive.
• Garfield: The Movie. A fun live action vision of the long running comic strip.
• Explorers. A fun adventure for kids who dream of space, starring a young Ethan Hawke and River Phoenix.
• Fire in the Sky. The film version of a supposedly true alien abduction.
• Fraggle Rock: Where it all Began. Who didn't love this series? This disk has the first three episodes.
• Creature from the Black Lagoon: Legacy Collection. The second wave is here!
• The Mummy: Legacy Collection.
• The Invisible Man: Legacy Collection.
• Species: Special Edition. I wonder why this warrants the special edition treatment.
• Stargate SG-1: Season 7. The adventures continue.
• Spongebob Squarepants: The Complete 2nd Season. The cult kiddie cartoon's second set. I haven't seen much, but it is pretty funny.
• Tom & Jerry: The Spotlight Collection. The classic originals are here.

On the music side, only one title of interest.

• Enjoy Every Sandwich: Songs of Warren Zevon. A tribute to the late great Warren Zevon. Features Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Adam Sandler, and the Wallflowers, plus many others.